Dry shaver

ABSTRACT

A dry shaver has a reciprocating cutter and a shearing blade having at least two different fields of perforations. The shearing blade is bent to a position over the reciprocating blade, and the selected perforated field can be brought against the reciprocating blade by adjusting the mutual position of the end rims of the foil blade. A frame that is removable relative to the shaver housing insures an accurate displacement of these end rims.

United States Patent Harms et al.

[ 51 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] DRY SHAVER [72] Inventors: Liihr Harms, Oberursel/Taunus; Gunter Voigt, Schoenberg/Taunus, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschafl, Frankfurt (Main), Germany [22] Filed: July 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 53,859

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [58] Field of Search ..30/43.1, 43.91, 346.51, 43.5, 30/436, 43.8, 43.9, 43.92

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,138,866 6/1964 Ressler ..30/346.51 X

3,269,008 8/1966 Messinger ..30/346.5l X 3,271,854 10/1966 Starre ..30/346.51 X 2,277,328 3/1942 Kamholz ..30/43.5

Primary ExaminerAndrew R. Juhasz Assistant ExaminerGary L. Smith Att0rneyErnest F. Marmorek [57] ABSTRACT A dry shaver has a reciprocating cutter and a shearing blade having at least two different fields of perforations. The shearing blade is bent to a position over the reciprocating blade, and the selected perforated field can be brought against the reciprocating blade by adjusting the mutual position of the end rims of the foil blade. A frame that is removable relative to the shaver housing insures an accurate displacement of these end rims.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDUBT 3 I972 M m? M W54 .3 -m

DRY SHAVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to dry shavers and, more particularly, to mechanically or electrically driven dry shavers having a reciprocating cutter and an upper blade in the form of a perforated foil with a plurality of perforations of various diameters. These perforations are distributed into areas according to their sizes. During shaving one has the possibility to employ such a field of perforations which is the most suitable for a particular type of skin or for a preliminary or a finishing shaving action.

In a prior art shaving apparatus of this kind as shown in the US. Pat. No. 3,138,866 to Ressler, the perforated foil blade extends between an outer and an inner housing in the longitudinal direction on front and rear sides of the housing, and is adjustably arranged over the movable cutter. This design has the disadvantage that the guiding means for the perforated foil blade acts as a brake and, consequently, when the position of the foil blade is adjusted, the ends thereof do not cover the displaced distance with the necessary accuracy, and it is impossible to maintain -a constant contact pressure of the perforated foil against the oscillatory cutter. Besides, a resilient mutual connection of the two ends of the perforated foil would become at least partially neutralized.

The cleaning of the perforated foil and of the entire shearing head, as far as it is possible at all, can be performed very inconveniently only, since the housing is too complex and the access is difficult. The guiding of the perforated foil between an inner and an outer housing brings about the drawback that the interior of the apparatus is also accessible with difficulties only, and thus complicates maintenance and repair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to avoid the shortcomings of prior art dry shavers with adjustable stationary foil blades.

In particular, it is an object of this invention to provide a perforated foil blade arrangement which can readily be adjusted for any selected size of perforations.

Another object of this invention is to insure that by displacing one end of the perforated foil in one direction, the other end becomes displaced about exactly the same distance in the opposite direction, thus making it possible that equal contact pressure as well as a free movement of the perforated foil on the reciprocating blade on top of the shearing head are maintained.

Still another object of this invention is to facilitate the cleaning of and access to the interior of the dry shaver with the adjustable foil blade.

According to this invention, the above objects are attained by providing a dry shaver having a reciprocating cutter and a head housing including a stationary, perforated foil blade, with at least two fields of different perforations, which can be arbitrarily brought against the reciprocating cutter. The perforated foil blade is made of a flexible material and mounted on a frame that includes two end bars to which the end rims of the foil are connected. The foil blade is bent at the open top area of the shearing head housing over the reciprocating cutter and can be adjusted in a transverse direction to the reciprocating movement of the cutter. The foil is fastened to the end bars preferably by means of snap connections. The shearing head housing can be disconnectably attached to the shaver body housing in the same manner as in the prior art embodiments with the non-adjustable foil blade. It is advantageous that in one modification the resilient lateral bars of the frame be guided in a suitable groove in the head housing.

In another modification of this invention, the position adjustment is accomplished by a rigid frame which is pivotally suspended at two opposite lateral bars on the walls of the shearing head housing, whereas the remaining two end bars support the end rims of the perforated foil blade which is situated therebetween. This embodiment enables a particularly compact design. of the shearing head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING For a better understanding of this invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference may be made to the following description of two exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of the adjustable perforated foil blade in the shearing head of the dry shaver of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the shearing head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of another embodiment of the adjustable perforated foil blade in a shearing head; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the shearing head of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a removable shearing head 1 with an adjustable perforated foil or shearing blade 7 having fields AB, BC and CD with different perforations. The shearing head housing 1 is seated on the shaver body housing 2 to enclose the upper portion 3 of the shaver body. The shaver body housing 2 and the upper body portion 3 contain conventional oscillatory driving means (not shown) linked through a coupling lever 4 with the reciprocating cutter 5 having arc-shaped configuration and projecting to the open top area of the shearing head housing 1. This open top area is dimensioned so as to receive the bent portion of the perforated foil blade 7. A helical spring 6 resiliently urges the cutter 5 against the inside surface of the stationary perforated foil blade 7.

According to one modification of this invention, the flexible foil blade 7 is supported by a flexible support frame 10 (FIG. 2) which has rigid end bars 9 and resilient lateral bars 1 l. The end rims of the foil blade 7 are fastened to the end bars 9 between the lateral bars 11. It is advantageous that guiding grooves 15 be provided in the opposite inner side walls of the shearing head housing 1 to guide the lateral bars 11 and hold the entire foil blade 7 in its adjusted position by friction. The perforated foil blade 7 has the perforation divided into successive fields AB, BC and CD according to different sizes or shapes of the perforations. The desired field of perforations is placed into the shearing position by changing the mutual position of the end bars 9 within the shearing head housing 1, thereby successively moving and bending various fields until a selected shearing field appears in the open top of the head housing 1 opposite the cutter 5.

The configuration and arrangement of the flexible supporting frame is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The end rims of the perforated foil blade 7 are terminated by fastening strips 8 which are secured to the middle area of the foil ends by weldings 12. The end portions of the fastening strips 8 are provided with oblong holes 13 to receive snap-connection pins 14 projecting from the end bars 9. The resilient lateral bars 11 are guided in guiding grooves 15 made in the side walls of the head housing 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, a control stud 16 is secured to one end bar 9 of the frame 10 and projects through the wall of the head housing 1 for movement in a guiding slot 17. In this manner a continuous position adjust-' ment of the foil blade 7 with respect to the reciprocating cutter 5 can be made from the outside of the shearing head 1'.

Another modification of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The structure and arrangement of the shearing head housing 21 of the shaver body 22 and of the shaver upper portion 23, of the oscillatory lever 24, the spring 26, and of the reciprocating cutter 25 correspond to parts shown in FIG. 1. By contrast to the former embodiment, however, the end rims of the perfora ted foil blade 27 are connected to respective end bars 29 of a rigid frame 30 which is pivotally supported in borings in the walls of the shearing head housing 21. The foil blade 27 is snap-connected to the end bars 29 by means of fastening strips 28, snap-connection pins 34, and oblong receiving holes 33 in the same manner as in the previously described first example. Similarly, the fastening strips 28 are welded to the middle .portion of the perforated foil blade in welding points 32.

A preferred embodiment of the rigid angularly displaceable frame 30 is shown in FIG. 4. The end bars 29 are hinged about a central axis X--X to rigid lateral bars 31 by means of studs 38 which are pivotally supported in holes 39, whereby the central points of the lateral bars 31 are provided with projecting journals 37 which are supported in the borings 35. One of the journals 37 is terminated by a control knob 36 for controlling the angular position of the frame 30 and simultaneously for adjusting a selected array of perforations on the foil blade 27 with respect to the oscillatory blade 25. The inside configuration of the shearing head housing 21 is accommodated to the pivotal movement of the frame 30 and the entire shearing head structure, as indicated in FIG. 4, can readily be removed from the dry shaver body 22 to provide an easy access during cleaning, repair and the like.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire t be to to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In an electric dry shaver having a cutter reciprocating in opposite directions, a removable shearing h ad including a shearing head housing and a shearing blade having two opposite end rims and at least two shearing fields of different perforations and being movable transverse of said opposite directions to place a selected one among said shearing fields into a shearing position wherein it cooperates with said cutter,

in combination,

a frame movably mounted in said shearing head housing and including lateral bars and end bars,

said shearing blade being mounted with its end rims on said end bars, and adjustment means in driving connection with said frame and being operable from the exterior for moving said frame and thereby moving a selected shearing field into said shearing position.

2. In an electric dry shaver according to claim 1, said lateral bars being flexible and the inside walls of said shearing head housing being provided with guiding grooves arranged for guiding said flexible lateral bars.

3. A dry shaver according to claim 1, wherein said shearing head housing is further provided with a guiding slot extending in the direction of movement of said blade and said adjustment means includes a control stud projecting through said guiding slot, one of said end bars being connected to said control stud to adjust the position of said perforated shearing blade with respect to said cutter.

4. A dry shaver according to claim 1 wherein said lateral bars are rigid and pivotally supported with relation to said shearing head housing for angular displacement of said frame about a central axis; and said adjustment means includes a control knob projecting through the housing and being coupled to one of said lateral bars to adjust the angular position of said frame.

5. A dry shaver according to claim 4 wherein the ends of said end bars are pivotally connected to said lateral bars. 

1. In an electric dry shaver having a cutter reciprocating in opposite directions, a removable shearing head including a shearing head housing and a shearing blade having two opposite end rims and at least two shearing fields of different perforations and being movable transverse of said opposite directions to place a selected one among said shearing fields into a shearing position wherein it cooperates with said cutter, in combination, a frame movably mounted in said shearing head housing and including lateral bars and end bars, said shearing blade being mounted with its end rims on said end bars, and adjustment means in driving connection with said frame and being operable from the exterior for moving said frame and thereby moving a selected shearing field into said shearing position.
 2. In an electric dry shaver according to claim 1, said lateral bars being flexible and the inside walls of said shearing head housing being provided with guiding grooves arranged for guiding said flexible lateral bars.
 3. A dry shaver according to claim 1, wherein said shearing head housing is further provided with a guiding slot extending in the direction of movement of said blade and said adjustment means includes a control stud projecting through said guiding slot, one of said end bars being connected to said control stud to adjust the position of said perforated shearing blade with respect to said cutter.
 4. A dry shaver according to claim 1 wherein said lateral bars are rigid and pivotally supported with relation to said shearing head housing for angular displacement of said frame about a central axis; and said adjustment means includes a control knob projecting through the housing and being coupled to one of said lateral bars to adjust the angular position of said frame.
 5. A dry shaver according to claim 4 wherein the ends of said end bars are pivotally connected to said lateral bars. 